Frank bryan



(No Model.)

P- BRYAN.

, GUT-OUT.

No. 459,560. Patented Sept. 15, 1891. 12 .1 W W Inv ant DY,

v-k QB I W5,

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIcE.

FRANK BRYAN, OF LONDON, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR 'lO \VOODIIOUSE (is RAIVSON UNITED, LIMITED, OF SAME PLACE.

CUT-OUT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 459,560,

dated September 15, 1891.

Application filed March 11, 1891. Serial No. 384,560. No model.)

To all whom it nuty concern:

Beitknown that I, FRANK BRYAN, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, residing at London, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Appliances for Cutting Out an Electric Circuit, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a cheap, reliable,

and practically incombustible instrument which can be adjusted to break an electrical circuit whenever the current attains a predetermined strength, as I shall describe, referringto the accompanyingdrawings, in which Figure 1 is a front view and Fig. 2 a plan, of a cut-out instrument according to my invention. Fig. 3 is an end view.

Similar letters refer to similarparts th rou ghout the several views.

M M are two cups containing mercury. h is fixed against a base-plate B of insulating material, and is connected to one of the conductors L for the circuit. The cup M is quite separate from M and forms part of a metal frame F, which is fixed to the base B and is connected to the other conductor L of the circuit. The frame F has an eye E, through which passes an iron bar 0, bent to a circular curvature. This bar O can be fixed in the eye E bya set-screw S, so that a greater or less length of it proj ects above and beyond the eye. A coil of wire IV, preferably bare copper wire, is carried by an arm A, which is pivoted to the frame F at P P, and the two ends of this wire coil. dip into the mercury in the cups M M respectively. \Vhile they are in this position the circuit is complete from conductor L, through cup 1 the coil IV, cup M and frame F to conductor L The wire coil WV operates as a solenoidcoil, to which the bar G acts as a core, and, as said bar or core is fixed, the coil is attracted toward the eye E; but while the current is moderate the attraction is not sufficient to move the coil from its position. If, however,

the current should exceed a predetermined strength for which the instrument is adjusted, then the coil IV is moved over to the left, withdrawing the ends of the wire from the mercury-cups, and so opening the circuit. As

the center of gravity of the coil XV passes the vertical line of the pivots P it falls over like a tumbling weight, and the circuit remains open until the coil IV is restored to its position. By adjusting the core O so as to penetrate more or less into the coil W the movement of the coil can be made to take place under various strengths of current.

Instead of an iron bar, the core O might be a tube, or it might consist of a magnetic bar surrounded by a coil, or of a magnetic tube inclosing a coil; also, instead of making contact through mercury, the ends of the wire WV might make contact with solid metal without departing from the nature of my invention.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. An appliance for cutting out an electric circuit when the current exceeds a certain strength, comprising a pivoted wire coil, an adjustable magnetic core inclosed by said wire coil, which latter forms part of the circuit while it is in a certain position said coil being current causes a certain amount of mutual attraction between it and the core the coil is made to move out of position and so to open the circuit, substantially as described.

2. The herein--described improved automatic cut-off for electrical circuits, comprising two electrically-connected mercurial cups, a coil-spring having its ends designed to enter said cups, a pivot-bearing or support for said coil-spring, and an adjustable core projected into said coil-sprin g, substantially as set forth.

3. The herein -described improved automatic cutoff for electrical circuits, comprising two electrically-connected mercurial cups, a coil-spring having its ends designed to enter said cups, a frame, a pivotal bearing for said coilspring supported by said frame, and a bar or core adjustably secured to said frame and projecting into said coilspring, substantially as set forth.

i. The hereindescribed improved automatic cut-off for electrical circuits, comprising a base-platc, a frame secured thereto, two

pivoted so that when the strength of electrically-connected mercurial cups, a coilmy invention I have signed my name, in presspring having its ends designed to enter said ence of two Witnesses, this 13th day of Feb- :nps:, an arm pivotally mounted by said frame rum'y, 1891.

and supporting said coil-sp1'ing,ancln curved 1 FRANK BRYAN. 5 bar or core adjustably connected to said \Vitnesses:

f mine, substantially as set forth. ARTHUR G. SAVILL,

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as ALEX. RIDGWAY. 

